Austmine Article: Lifesaving invention recognised at the Australian Mining Prospect Awards

The Australian made SafetySpear has taken out the award for the prestigious Innovative Mining Solution category at the Australian Mining Prospect Awards just 18 months after it was introduced to the market.

From over 20 nominations in the Innovative Mining Solution Category, the Safety Spear was the only physical, real-world product among the three finalists, the others being data based.

Designed and manufactured by Rattlejack, the SafetySpear works to protect underground mining personnel and equipment from free falling overhead hazards by plugging drill holes quickly and inexpensively with a lightweight, high-impact absorbing polymer system.

First introduced in May 2021, the spears’ market potential is being expanded by Murray Engineering, a Perth based company with an international footprint.

The SafetySpear addresses shortcomings of other practices in widespread global use including corrosion prone steel systems and traditional grouting and plating over where weaknesses can result in serious mine site injury and death.

It has been purpose built to activate on impact with any downward force; its unique two stage design decelerates the impact by blocking the hole with its flexible upper section, conforming to the shape and size of the available space.

This effectively stops the falling hazard with minimal backward movement, a method never seen in underground mining prior.

Installation is achieved with standard production drilling equipment enabling the hazard to be minimised without delay.

With its lightweight design, the SafetySpear also has minimal risk of manual handling injuries, and includes easy to follow pictorial instructions for a simple installation process for operators of all experience levels.